Cooking machine



ug- 28 1951 M. P. sPARTALls 2,565,786

COOKING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Ely@ Filed Sept. 29, 1950 V e f M. P. SPARTALIS COOKING MACHINE Aug. 28, 1951 Filed Sept. 29, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug- 28, 1951 M. P. sPARTALls 2,565,786

COOKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 29, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3' i'erentially spaced series of food holders.

machines of the general character described here.;

Patented Aug. 28, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COOKING MACHINE Michael P. Spartalis,St. Paul, Minn. Application September 29,1950, Serial No. 187,;431,

7 claims. (ol. 99-421) My present invention relates to improvements in cooking machines of. the general type disclosed and claimed in my prior Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,179,646 of November 14, 1939, and No. 2,482,6[11 of September 20, 1949, which type of machine involves a cooking chamber or oven containing rotary iood conveying mechanism. In theembodiment of the invention herein illustrated as in the machine illustrated in my said prior patents, vthe rotary food conveying mechanism comprises a rotary food conveyor equipped with circumferentially spaced series of planetary food holders that are rotated on their own axes while rotating about the axis of the conveyor. The machine herein illustrated, like the machines of my said prior patents, also preferably embodies an inner rotary food holder located within the circle described by the circum- While are primarily designed for barbecuing, baking, or roasting of meats, vegetables, and the like, it has been found that machines of the type described herein and in my prior patents may also very advantageously be used in the baking of bread, cake, pastries, and the like. of my invention is the provision of a rotary food conveyor having radially spaced series of circumierentially spaced food holders whereby foods carried by one series of holders are maintained at a distance from the source of heat different from that between the source of heat andfoods carried by another series of food holders.

Another highly important object of my invention is the provision of a novel arrangement 4"whereby planetary movements are imparted-to radially spaced series of food holders asset forth.

To this end, I provide an annular track having concentric radially inner and outer track face portions and cooperating planetary food supporting elements mounted on a rotary conveyor in radially spaced inner and outer series or groups.

Another object of my invention is the provision of improved driving connections to the food conveyor mechanism.

Still another object of my invention is the pro- .vision of a machine o i the above type which is relatively simple and inexpensive to produce, which is eicient in operation, and which is rugged in construction and durable in use.

. The above and still further highly important objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed speciiication, appended claims, and attached drawings. Referring to the drawings, whichillustrate the An important obj ect invention, and wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig.V l isa 4view in front elevation of my improved cooking machine: Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a still further enlarged fragmentary "detail in elevation as seen from theline 3 -3 of Fig. 2; ,I

Fig. 1 is a view partly in iront elevation and partly in section vtaken substantially on theline 4--4 oiEFig. 2, someparts being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a view in plan of .the conveyor mechanism of my invention on an enlarged scale ;v and Fig. 6 is anexial section taken onthe line in tnebmbdiment of themvennonmusiratd,

the oven oru cooking chamber l is defined by a casing having top'Z, side walls 3, and a generally forming portion 5.,' These bottom portions 4 and 5 may'hereinafterv also be'A referred to as outer and inner collecting portions respectively. "The sides!! 'f the casing or cabinet are provided with glaz`e`dfdoor's'f6 permitting free access to the inte- 4rior of the" oven` oi' cooking chamber, and also allowingfcontinuous 'inspection or viewing 4oi' the contentsv during' thecooking or heat treating op- 'eration., Theftop 2""a'hd. walls 3 are preferably ijinsuiate'd, tnei being indicated at' 1 'in "Figl2.'"`f Heater means comprises 'a plurality of heating i elements B m'ounted'one each in one of the cor- 'ners between the sidewalls 3 of the cooking chamber.l Theseheatirfg elements or units 8 are of the electrical resistance type conventionally u'sed and are .mounted in bases B rigidly secured n to the corner portions of the outer bottom-forming element 4, and are provided with reiiector plates or the like I U which direct heat radiating from ythe elements 8' toward the central portion 'of the chamber I.4 The heating elements I8 are supplied electricityfrom a suitable source not shown, the heat being controlled by a conventional rheostat, not shown, operated by a' control knob ll. The -food conveying and supporting' mechanism, hereinafter to be described in detail, is driven by a suitable power unit in the nature of an electric motori! mounted in fthe casing below Athe bottom-forming elements [and 5 of the cooking chamber and on a speed reduction gear housing I3. Avertical drive shaft I4 is journalled in the gear housing I3 and is driven by the motor I2 through conventional speed reduction gearing, not shown but contained within the housing I3. The housing I3 is rigidly secured by suitable means to a base member I5 which is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the upper end of a frame I6 contained within the cabinet or casing .belowthe bottom-forming. elements 4 and 5- 'heabinetdlflnesia ssibrageschamber or the like I1 below the base I5 and to which access may be had through a pair of doors-..pr the like I8.

A circular conveyor I3 comprises an/a-nnular ring 29 and a central hub 2| connectedhygradial arms 22. The hub portion 2| at its lower end is provided with an axiallyiextendednbore (2311;0 axially slidably receive the upper end ofmtheger.- tical drive shaft I4 and is adapted to be locked `12o ,said drive shaft I4jfor common rotary move- `ments therewith by the reception -of apinor the like 24 extending transversely-through'the shaft I4 and a downwardly opening notch or the like 25 in the hub 24. Theconveyor further includes ajpair of inner andouterconcentricringsand i:

L21V secured to the outer ring portionl and the radial arr n 22 respectively vby means of nutequippedbolts -or the like 28, and aremaintained in spaced-relation to said ring portion andradial arms 22 by spacers29, see particularly Figs. 5y

'and `6. 'lheupper end of the-hubjportion-ZI is bored to receivean upwardly opening socket memberwhich is adapted-to receive aloud holder inA the nature of a-skewerf3l. Asshown, vin Figs.'l,'2, andi. the axis ofthe skewer-'3I extends along the vertical center of theghamber I and that the heatelements or unit tv are equijdistant from the axis of theskewerM.

Journalled for rotation inthe, conveyor I9 between the radial arms'll and the. underlying-ao j ring 26is an innerseries of three roller elements 32. vEach of the roller elements 3 2gof said inner series comprises an inverted ripetoconical roller 33 havingatraction face portion34jfarrd a shaft v '35 extending upwardly throughione ofthe radial .arms `22 and terminating' atits .urinern end' in ,an `rupwardly openingfsocket 3 6'. vA radiallyputer Vv series of roller elements'31.identicalto the roller elements 3 2,are journalled 'in the ring portion;-2Il

` gf lthe outer ring 21 of theconveyor I9 andere 'Provided with .upstanxiing socket-forming' shaft ,portions 38. adaptedto support' food; hoiderslsuh :es skewers 3,9. or ,aeypfthetype fillustratedrjin "my prior patents above nidentified. lThe roller elements 31 f urther compriselnverted-im1sto- .conical Yrollers 40 .having 'traction .'fecepportions 4I identical tothe traction -if 1.,c e' portions of 'the rollers 33 of the inner series.

'The conveyor I9 is supported,` andthe roller -elements 32 and l31 are adapted lto *have planetary movements Vimparted thereto, byengagearms 22 so that any inaccuracies in the manu' facture of the several roller elements will not prevent the traction face of any roller element from making driving contact with its cooperatment of their traction'face-'portionswith cooperating inner and outer traction-iaceS-onan -annular track42. 'The annular-track 42 is integrally formed with la plurality'of-downwardly.- projectng legs v4 3 which at their-lowerends'form -an integralpartpf thebase I5. RJI 'he inner-and outer peripheraltraction'f-facesof the annular -track 42, indicated -at 44-and-45respectively, slope in upwardly convergingv directions `at angl-es equal to the anglesorthetraction face-portions J34 and 4 I of respective roller elements 32 and 31. zas shown in Fig. 6, aslightcIearanQe occursbey-tween the upper portions of-the-several roller elements and-the ring portion-A201 andthe radialing traction face portion of the annular track 42. Rotation of the conveyor I9 will cause rotary movements to be imparted to the several roller elements 32 and 31 about their own axes due to thengagementof theutractionace portions 34 and 4 I with z-respect to theictractionlfaces 44 and 45 on the track 42, simultaneously with traveling fmovements of the several roller elements about the axis of the rotary conveyor I5. The greater radialdistance of the axes of the roller elements .32.fromtheheat units 9 than that of the axes of the outer series of roller elements 31 permits the :supportin-gv of larger articles of food from the innergseries of roller elements 32. Furthermore. if it is desired to cook or subject an article to the `heat of the elements 8 for a greater period of time than desired for certain 'other articles of `food, the operator will mount said articles-on 'the radially inner series of holders.

The outer bottom-forming member 4 includes an annular-trough-46 fromone portion of which depends a drain orvthe like'41. An open-topped receiver 48 restsupon the frame I6 in a position to collect drippings from Athe drain -41. The inner basin-for1ning member' is vcarried Lbyea portion'of the annular track-42 and is formed-to provide a pair of inner Yand outer concentric troughse49 -and :5U respectively, the bottoms of which'slope toward one side-andfwhich are provided with reSPective drains 5I and 52, the latter of which overliesa-portion of the open-topme- -ceiver 4 3. The drain 5 I is adapted to deliver 'drippings into a second -open-top receiver v-53- a-lso jmounted onthe supporting frame I 6.

A generally circulardrip pan 5 4 Iprovides-a false bottoml for thecooking` chamber and is carried -by'theupper en dportion -of the hub 2l-and the'several s hafi'J portions36 -and38 of their respective roller 'elements, see particularly Fig.-j4. AThe-'drip pan154-is formed with radially inner and outer circumferentially. extending collecting troughs andv 56respectively anda downwardly and outwardly slopingperipheral flange 51, the ,outer edge portion gif-which overlies the annular trough 46. The bottoms of the troughs y'55 and A55 overlie the collecting troughs 49 and-59 respectively and are provided with circumferen- -tially-extended drain apertures 58 and' 59 respectively throughl which juices'ilow from cooking meats-andthe like supportedon `the Aseveral skewers J3| and 39. Drippings 'from roasting meats -or the ff'like'supperted --on the skewer--BI -drop into the trough #55 and `iicw -through the aperture 58 -into --thecollecting trough -49 e from whence theyare eauseditoenterthe receiver-53; whereasdrippings fromfoocl--articles mountedV on --skew'ers supported by--the innerA and outer-roller elements 32 andf31 lfallinto-theoutertrough=56 and-on the -flange` 5'1. Drippings -or juices 'in-the trough 56 pass' through-the apertures -59 "therein to the collecting trough SI1-and from thencedto the receiver-48 throughthe-drain- 52. Likewise, juices'or drippings falling on the flange -51 are collected in 'the 4trough 3446V from -Whence they -enter--the -freceiver 148 through vthe drain 41. From -the-above,it will be seen vthat -there 'is -a distinct-separation oi juicesl from cookingmeat on the centralskewer 3I with respectto thejuices from meats oritheflik-e supported onthe'slewers Tl'1 us,if a largeportion of'xneatsuch-ara turk-ey or-ah'am `issuppcfrted on -t-he 'central ..5 skewer I and beef steaks or the iike are mounted on the skewers 39, the'juices from each willvbe maintained separate so that gravies may be made therefrom to conform with the type of meat being served.

With reference to Fig. 2, it will -be seen that` I have provided cover plates 60, one each for an opening in the ialse bottom or drip pan 54 through which one of the skewer-supporting shafts 35 and 38 extends. Each of the cover plates 60 is swingably mounted on the drip pan 54 as indicated at 6| toward and away from a position overlying its respective skewer-supporting shaft 3b or 3B. This arrangement permits closing of apertures in the drip pan 54 whenthe machine is not utilized to employ all of the skewers 39, the unused skewers 39 of course being removed from their respective socket-forming Shafts 35 or 38.

It will be seen by further reference to Fig. 2

prevent drippings from collecting thereon. Thus it should be clear that the circular conveyor mechanism and central driving connections will be maintained free of juices and other drippings from the food articles carried both by the central food holder or skewer 3l and by the planetary outer food holder or skewers 39, thereby greatly decreasing the necessary frequency of cleaning and the problem of servicing and maintaining the conveyor mechanism and drive connections; that the conveyor mechanism, its food holders, and the inner food holder are all very readily removable, that the annular conveyor mechanism is removable, replaceable, and may be Washed or cleaned as a unit; and that the juices falling from foods carried by the planetary food holders and the juices from foods carried by the inner food holder will be maintained separate and separately collected. Of course, it will be understood that the receivers 48 and 53 are independently removable from the casing,

My invention has been thoroughly tested and l found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the objectives set forth; and, while I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my novel cooking machine, it will be understood that the same is capable of modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as dened in the claims.

What I claim is:

l. In a cooking machine, a casing providing a cooking chamber, a relatively xed annular track adjacent the bottom of the cooking chamber, said track dening concentric radially spaced inner and outer traction face portions, a rotary conveyor, an inner series of circumferentially spaced planetary food-supporting roller elements journalled on the conveyor and having traction face portions in driving engagement with the inner traction face portion of the track, an outer series of circumferentially-spaced planetary food-supporting roller elements journalled on the conveyor and having traction face portions in driving engagement with the outer traction face portion of the track, driving means for the conveyor, and a heater located in theA cooking" chain-i be'r above the plane of the roller elements and in radiallyspaced relation to the paths of travel of food supported by the inner and outer planetary roller elements, whereby the circular paths of travel of the axes of the inner and outer planetary roller elements are radially spaced diierent distances from the heater.

2, In a cooking machine, a casing providing a cooking chamber, a relatively fixed annular track adjacent the bottom of the cooking chamber, said track defining concentric radially spaced inner and outer traction iace portions, a rotary conveyor, an inner series of circumierentially spaced planetary roller elements journalled on the conveyor and having traction face portions in driving engagement with the inner traction face portion of the track, an outer series of circumferentially spaced planetary roller elements journalled on the conveyor and having traction face portionsin driving engagement with the outer traction face portion of the track, generally vertically disposed food holders mounted on said roller elements for common planetary movements therewith, driving means for the conveyor, and a heater located in the cooking chamber above the plane of the roller elements and in radially spaced relationship to the paths of travel of food supported by said food holders on the inner and outer roller elements, whereby the circular paths of travel of the axes of the inner and outer planetary roller elements are radially spaced different distances from the heater.

3. The structure dened in claim 2 in which said heater is disposed in radially outwardly spaced relationship to the paths of travel of food supported by said food holders on the inner and outer roller elements.

4. In a cooking machine, a casing providing a generally rectangular cooking chamber, a relatively xed annular track adjacent the bottom of the cooking chamber and centrally thereof, said track dening concentric radially spaced inner and outer traction face portions, a. rotary conveyor, an inner series of circumferentially spaced planetary roller elements journalled on the conveyor and having traction face portions in driving engagement with the inner traction face portion of the track, an outer series of circumferentially spaced planetary roller elements journalled on the conveyor and having traction face portions in driving engagement with the outer traction face portion of the track, generally vertically disposed food holders mounted on said roller elements for common planetary movements therewith, driving means for the conveyor, and a plurality of heaters located one each in each of the corners of said cooking chamber above the plane of the roller elements and in radially outwardly spaced relationship to the paths of travel of food supported by said food holders on the inner and outer roller elements, whereby the circular paths of travel of the axes of the inner and outer planetary roller elements are radially spaced diierent distances from the heaters.

5. In a cooking machine, a casing providing a cooking chamber, a relatively xed annular track adjacent the bottom of the cooking chamber, said track defining concentric radially spaced inner and outer peripheral track faces, a rotary conveyor, an inner series of circumferentially spaced planetary food supporting roller elements journalled on the conveyor and having peripheral traction faces in driving engagement with, the-aimer .@.eninherali tunisien: me ,er @the .itmckmeouter -series mi ,-cimumrenentiallyv'paced planetary tocd=supporting .,rollexi-,mlemensejeur- ,nalled :onJLhe .conveyor and rhaing..;.prpheral traction faceslin .drvinglngagement Vith v`jal'le -outer perphenal y,traer/ion :face of nahe gtmck, driving means forfthe xsonveyoreand aeheatenlocated in the cooking chambenaboveLthe Jplanef the rollerelementsandin raiallypaeed xelaftfionship to #the `paths. of `traveLnJ-.oode-supported -byf-theinnenandouter. p1anetary =ml1erelements, JWhexkeby-dahe fcircular. paths: of .,izravel mi; the. axes off theL innery and outerxplanetary rollen-elements are fradiallypaced different ..distances-f1;om the Lleater.

J6. L'Ehestructure denedrnaclaimeln Jwhich #sa-id:y cookingi chamberv :segenerallya reqtangularin evrm, ihef-axis of said-@annular Mack,- beiglg--ex @tended centrally 'thereof, @and .which said J*heater eomprises-a plurality ofr;hea.ting;elemen ts -fene-eac-:hinfone. corner: of=said;.chamber.

7. Ima`r cooking-machina a; casing,- pravding. a -eo0k1ng-ehamber,a relativelyiixeiannular track adiacenti-'4me bottom of -the aceokingmhamher,

,aanmaak eclening. .concentric radially ,paced .Jnner and outer :traction faces fslopirlain up- ;ward1y .converging relationship, a rotary Y, cQn- -v,eyor,f an inner, series of c,ircumferentally4 spaced 5 planetary food-supporting roller elementsvjour- .malledeontheonveyorfand-havngoncal `brac- ;tioneacesein '.drivmg. engagement; with. theeumer v-lcmirng racLionL face url sad .tncaekp en Qutereaeries Qf circumterentially spaced lanetary; Ice d- 10lupportingmollereelementaiournalled on thereu- .xeyoreandhavingonieal traction faces. m.drv ingfengagement. the; outereslopingjzzaction iaeeLnf mha-xrank, Jrivjngmeansfor .the .201,1- .-.veyor, andreaveheater located in the cooking 15,. ',chamberfabove the, p1aneof,.the.ro11er, elements aand in -radiallyspaced v.telationilo Lhe .paths' of iravek of vfood -.supported ,bythe irmereand outer planetary :roller elements pwhereby V.the ecmular paths of travel of the axes of the.inner:.and outer 20- planetaryzrollerl.elementsaarey radially: spaceddf- -ferent distancesirom the heater.

`MICHAEL P. .SBARTALIS e No; reierenee cited. 

